The NCAA Division I Council has proposed a rule change to permit student-athletes and institutional staff to place bets on professional sports. If adopted, this change would mark a significant shift from the NCAA’s long-standing ban on all forms of sports wagering by student-athletes and institutional staff. The proposal must be adopted and approved by Divisions II and III and could be in effect as early as October 2025.

What Would Change?

Under the proposal, the NCAA would continue to prohibit:

• Betting on college sports at all levels;
• Sharing insider information related to college competitions; and
• Advertisements or sponsorships related to gambling during NCAA championship events.

However, student-athletes and staff would be permitted to place bets on professional sports. The policy shift would refocus NCAA enforcement efforts to conduct that directly affects collegiate competition integrity.

Why the Change?

The NCAA has recognized that current betting restrictions, which were adopted when sports gambling was largely illegal, may no longer align with today’s legal landscape. With more than 30 states now permitting some form of sports wagering, there has been an increase in NCAA enforcement cases, many of which involve professional sports betting. The new proposal represents a pragmatic shift, acknowledging the legal and cultural normalization of sports betting while protecting the integrity of college sports.

The NCAA continues to emphasize the importance of harm-reduction strategies to address risky betting behavior. In 2023, the NCAA relaxed guidelines for reinstating athletes who bet on professional sports, and leaders voiced support for education-based approaches over “abstinence-only” models. NCAA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deena Casiero said, “By meeting student-athletes where they are, schools may be more effective at preventing, identifying and supporting student-athletes with problematic gambling behaviors.”

What Should Institutions Consider?

While this policy shift could reduce compliance burdens on NCAA institutions related to professional sports wagering, it also could create other challenges. Institutions must continue to prioritize education, monitoring, and safeguarding the integrity of competition, keeping the following in mind:

• Betting on college sports remains prohibited and carries significant penalties;
• Rules related to insider information and gambling-related advertising continue to be enforced; and
• NCAA offers educational tools, including e-learning modules and integrity resources, that are available for institutions to support in their compliance efforts.

The NCAA’s partnership with Genius Sports, the exclusive distributor of official NCAA data to licensed sportsbooks, along with the creation of a dedicated sports betting integrity unit, underscores the NCAA’s heightened commitment to detecting violations and protecting the well-being of student-athletes.

Looking Ahead

If the proposal is adopted by all three Divisions, institutions should be ready to update their internal policies and ensure that educational messaging clearly distinguishes permissible and impermissible gambling behavior.